Page:Distinguished Churchmen.djvu/305

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THE REV. MONTAGUE FOWLER, M.A. 263

these periodical assaults that most of the churches are built like fortresses, in order that the threatened people may run to them for shelter. On that occasion the Kurds were waiting in order that one of our missionaries should leave there and go back to another part of the mission. He got wind of what was likely to happen, and insisted on remaining. Moreover, he wrote to our Am bassador at Constantinople, with the result that such pressure was brought to bear in the matter that the Turkish Government was compelled to order that the massacre should not take place."

Mr Fowler was warm in his acknowledgment of the help rendered by Mr Athelstan Riley, who went out at his own expense, and brought all the facts he could ascertain to the notice of the Arch bishop. On his return home Mr Athelstan Riley, it may be remembered, contributed an excellent article to the press.

" During the lives of Archbishop Benson and Archbishop Thomson you must have had excel lent opportunities for forming a judgment of their characters and dispositions. You were, of course, brought much in contact with them in relation to ecclesiastical matters ; but, I believe, also both the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Arch bishop of York paid long visits to your father (Sir John Fowler) at his Scotch home? The reading public, I am sure, would welcome some of your impressions of those two distinguished men."

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